Sunday, 27 March 2016

Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

The Premise from the Publisher: "They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . . Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before Youbrings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?" (PPG).

My overall thoughts and review: I feel like I am one of the last people on earth to read this.. but I read it recently so I'm reviewing it. I also think a review would be helpful for the other few who haven't read it to hear my thoughts on it. I used to see Jojo Moyes books every time I went into a Chapters, but I didn't pick them up for some reason. What a mistake that was! I loved this book so much that I immediately went out and bought a few of her other books. Her writing just immediately draws you in and I was able to finish this book in a whole sitting. I will say, having seen the trailer, I envisioned Sam Claflin the entire time as Will ;) But yes, I'm rambling.. this is a love story that you know right away, won't end will. There are only a few scenarios for how the story is to end, but that shouldn't stop you from reading it. Moyes writes such loveable characters that whether or not the love story is at the centre of the book, you end up reading for your love of the characters. To begin with, Louisa is a perfect protagonist. She often reminds me of myself, wanting the ordinary life and her strong ties to her family. I really enjoyed reading the sections between her and her family because it felt so realistic and similar to my interactions with my family. Also, her scenes with the Traynors were something else. I loved how strong-willed and brave Louisa was and standing up for what she thought right. Ok, the love story? Seriously swoon-worthy. Never have I ever been so starry-eyed while reading a book. I loved the build up to their relationship and seeing how they both opened up to one another. You learn more about Will and Louisa individually via their interactions together. For example, Will is a big Miyazaki fan which made me so happy to learn! I loved how they both brought out the best in each other, and Will inspired Louisa to want more in life, and to live life to the fullest. I will admit, their relationship reminded me a lot of my relationship and that made me very happy. I won't spoil it, but this is seriously a beautiful book about love, friendship and family and I would highly recommend it! I have downloaded the sequel for my kobo, and I plan on reading that very soon, so expect a review for that soon too ;)

If you haven't heard.. the movie version is coming out fairly soon and I'm beyond excited for it. I get chills every time I watch the trailer and I know I will need boxes of tissues for the tears. But Sam Claflin is Will! :D I'm so so excited!! Thoughts on the trailer?

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.